Angela Mao Ying was born in Taiwan in September 20, 1950. She is the daughter of Mao Yung Kang, a Peking Opera star, who escaped China to Taiwan in 1949.

Mao was originally a Chinese opera actress before becoming an action film actress; at a young age she attended ballet classes before joining The Fu Shing Peking Opera in 1958.

Mao trained in hapkido at an early age, as well as other martial arts. This would later help her achieve success in martial arts movies. When she was 17, Huang Feng (an action movie director known for his action movies, and for discovering Sammo Hung and Carter Wong) discovered her. Feng was looking for a young woman who knew martial arts to be the leading lady for his upcoming sword fight film, called "Angry River".

With her experience in acting and martial arts, Angela quickly began taking leading roles other action movies in Golden Harvest productions, including "Hapkido", "Lady Whirlwind", and "The Fate of Lee Khan" (directed by the late King Hu). She was also successful in other movies such as "The Association", "The Himalayans", and a number of others. Despite this, her films were not been released in America, and because of this she was unknown to the western movie audience. This would soon change in 1973.

Internationally, she found fame for her role as the doomed sister of Bruce Lee's character in 1973's "Enter the Dragon". Although Bruce Lee died shortly after the production of the movie, Mao was able to train and develop a friendship with Lee. Although she was not able to go to his funeral (she was in Taipei at the time, buying her parents a house).

Following the incredible success to her short-lived role in 1973s "Enter The Dragon" many of her films began to be released in the west. "Hapkido" was the first to gain this wider audience. The film also starred Carter, Sammo, and her real life teacher Whang In Sik, as well as Chi Hon Tsoi. Also working on "Hapkido" was an uncredited 'bootmaster' Leung Siu-Leung who was helping Sammo with the fight choreography and who would also work as stuntman in Enter the Dragon: known today as Jackie Chan.

Mao continued with string a of successful movies through the seventies. Angela, along with actor Carter Wong, became a bit of a kung fu duo in a series of classic martial arts movies. One of their best movies was "When Taekwondo Strikes"--which apart from having possibly the best title of any kung fu film, was also the only film ever made by Supreme Master Jhoon Rhee. Mao spent time training with Rhee during the making of this movie.

Mao married her long time boyfriend, Kelly Lau and retired from the movie industry afterwards.

Mao has been presented with an 'honorary' Second Degree Black Belt in Hapkido in recognition of her work in promoting Hapkido technique to the world, and for being the art's most honorable, heroic, and beautiful female representative.